Enhancing Rechargeable Persistent Luminescence via Organic Dye Sensitization.

Due to their unique afterglow ability, long wavelength light activatable persistent luminescence (PersL) nanoparticles (PLNPs) have been emerging as an important category of imaging probes. In particular, long wavelength LED light has been shown to be effective in recharging these nanoparticles. However, finding a simple and effective method to amplify such renewable PersL signals under long wavelength light is still a key challenge. Herein, we discovered that a dye-sensitization strategy was able to effectively boost the renewable PersL signals of the NIR emitting ZnGa 2 O 4 :Cr 3+ (ZGC)) under long wavelength LED light. Moreover, as a proof-of-principle tumorectomy demonstration, this new class of dye sensitized ZGC enabled simultaneous intraoperative anatomic tumor navigation and effective microscopic detection of tumor cells in pathological diagnosis. Thus, this work will offer a simple way to the development of PLNPs with enhanced luminescence and provides new opportunities for a wide variety of biophotonic and photonic applications.